OtbOA: Seriously WTF? · 4:36am Mar 24th, 2013
Hey guys and gals, gals and guys! Minalkra here with a very special friend to do a report on Oh to be Old Again's progress over the past two months! Sweetie, would you like to tell the angry mob outside how close I am to being done with the latest chapter in Bruce's fun little trip to Equestria?
Sure, he's ... ah, I'm going to get murdered aren't I?
We can only hope not, Sweeite! So what's been going on the past two months that made working on OtbOA so damn difficult? Lots of stuff.
Work I used to do a TON of writing at work. Like, hours worth of it. Most days I had maybe - maybe - two hours of work to do? Most of the rest was spent writing and reading. But they knew. Actually, I told them and we've got this recurring job now that's actually a bit of a major pain in the ass. It should ease up soon but until then, I have no time to play around at work.
Love Well, marriage. Goes together like a horse and ... nevermind. Anyway, there are personal things eating up my time at home as well. Things that are important - more important than writing, I'm afraid. I don't game, I don't do much writing, I watch some things online (TV is for chumps) but mostly I deal with a married life and an unfortunately sick wife.
My hole ... what? I meant the hole I dug myself! Turns out that once I get past about three 'active participants' in a scene, I tend to get - well, bogged the fuck down in piddly shit. Since it's all the Main 6 plus Bruce, I don't want any one main character to get 'over written' by any other or have one be the 'voice' since I have a plan to divide the Main 6 into 'camps' eventually and ... anyway, I'm trying to have them all have their 'time in the lime light.' Unfortunately, this gets me stuck in a circular situation where every pony is reacting to what some pony else said and we get no where, nothing is done, nothing important happens and I'm left at the end of a 5k word fucking essay with having done nothing and I have to restart from fucking scratch because I am an idiot! Sorry. But yeah, writing for 7 (eventually 8) characters? Never. Doing it. Again. Once I get out of this scene (and I will) I am never having all Main 6 together in a place ever again. Or at least, never where they all have something to say.
I have a plan once I'm done with this stupid fucking chapter. Well, a vague plan. And I have a plan for the next story-day and the one after that (afterwards, it gets fuzzy). But after having started and restarted this chapter over and over and over again and losing 2-6 thousand words to the great nothing in the sky each time because I just cannot work out how to make these seven-soon-eight characters work together in a meaningful manner ... it takes it out of a guy, ya know? I wanted to do this blog thing again to let everyone know that, yes, I am working on it and OtbOA isn't going to end prematurely. It ... might take me a second to get out of this hole though.
Ugggh, I just read what I wrote today and oh my fucking god, what the hell self? Seriously? Seriously? Fuck you, self. Fuck. You.
I checked my FiMFiction just in time to see the update, and I can wait for updates ;P, cause even if they take forever, they're still amazing. (first)
So that's where he gets it all from...
Just do as the boys at Friendship is Witchcraft do...mute a character for time
It's all good! Loyal readers doesn't know what impatient means.
take your time no rush
Lately, I've started reading my readers' stories, including yours. I'm not bothered; this gives me more time to catch up.
Dude, just figure out what you want said in that scene and have it said by who needs to say it. The rest can just be doing IC cute things in the background. Stop trying to balance their intelligence and charisma stats already.
942228
Bah, those are the dumpstats anyway! STR and CON!
could always have a few 'stolen away' using a doctor, or miss meadows or somepony
942260
Well. You've given us a sacrificial offering to appease our Chapter deprived minds.
The offering is good.
SEIZE THE UNICORN!!
942260 Just ignore AJ. That's what they do on the show.
Or, if they all just arguing, ignore that and switch to... to... (Crap, I forgot his name.) the main character's thoughts about the chaos then have him diffuse the situation somehow. Idk, I'd have to see it to give proper advice. I'm sure you'll nail it down eventually. 
Oh gosh, a new chapter of OTBOA will be out soon
. YESSSSSSSSSS!!! MOAR!!!!!!!!!!
One question though - did you try using mind mapping software to simplify writing? Give this one a try - maybe you will like it?
942335 Sir, yes sir! *grabs the most fluffy feather around and run after the unicorn*
Dont worry take your time am sure alot of us have over 75+ chapters and storties to read anyway
at the very least i do 
Wish you luck and i hope everything goes your way.
Gentle breeze guide you home, and a warm smile welcome your return.
Just think, well you have been not writing, and doing whatever you've been doing, some of us are going through boot camp. It could be worse. Just take your time, breath, and do what you need to do. If that means a hiatus in writing, so be it. I won't miss anything for another 2 months
I shall cast a spell to prevent anypony from murdering you. Just keep persisting and I'm sure you'll figure it out. Also, I'm going to throw ideas at you and hope something I say helps you get unstuck.
It might help to keep in mind they wouldn't all want to respond to every single thing Bruce says. I don't know if this would help, but this is how I'd see the six of them chatting with Bruce. It's not a failure if Fluttershy doesn't speak much, it's just in character. I think three of them just wouldn't have much to say:
FS is probably going to just listen from the side lines, only speaking up when a pony says something that forgets Bruce is just a colt who needs help.
Rarity. I don't really see what she'd have to add, so she'd likely be quiet. She hasn't met him, doesn't know him.
RD would probably be fairly quiet, just scoffing or laughing and threatening the occasional violence.
AJ will probably cut other ponies off anytime she think's Bruce is lying.
TS would guide the conversation.
PP would be very energetic, but she's also shown she can be quite mature in regards to Bruce. I can imagine her actually waiting patiently, speaking up to back Bruce up after AJ/RD/TS attack his credibility.
So I'd imagine TS, PP, and AJ carrying most of the conversation. Bruce is trying to convince TS, AJ will be trying to catch him in a lie, and PP has the largest investment, and believes, Bruce. If you focus on them, and just choose moments carefully where FS, RD, or Rare can add something meaninful, it won't feel like you forgot them. Just that they were waiting for the right moment to actually add to the conversation.
If any of that was actually helpful or you'd like to brainstorm, let me know. I still have too much free time on my hands at work.
Don't be so strict with yourself.
Even if you only progress fucking slowly, you progress.
Heads up man.
Dragon
We don't mind waiting. I have 170 more favorite chapters and 22 more stories to burn through before I'm out of reading material.
P.S. Hope your wife gets better.
942456 Good, good. I've got the tar nice and hot.
Your wife is sick? Would you mind telling us what she has, or is it personal?
959902
Lupus-induced osteoporosis is the primary issue right now, though the fatigue and such are constant as well.
You know it's okay to have a chapter over 6k words lol. "The great slave king" another fimfiction story averages 10k+ words a chapter. Sometimes it's just unavoidable. I wish you and your wife well though! Hope she gets better soon.
is it 25% done now?
If you need help writing for a lot of characters, I dunnno- Maybe I can help?
It's not much, but I got experience with that, It's not much, but I am writing Humans Assemble.
And even if I don't help, I think you got editors. They help with this kind of thing. It's their job.
dude you will get the job done and i can't wait for it good luck
:)
(Semper Fidelis)